Introduction to Propositional Logic
Propositional logic, also known as sentential logic, deals with propositions or statements that can be either true or false. It provides a formal framework for reasoning about logical relationships between propositions.
Propositional Symbols and Connectives
Propositional logic uses symbols to represent propositions and logical connectives to combine propositions into more complex expressions. Common connectives include AND (∧), OR (∨), NOT (¬), IMPLIES (→), and IF AND ONLY IF (↔).
Truth Tables and Logical Equivalences
Truth tables are used to systematically evaluate the truth value of propositional expressions for all possible combinations of truth values of their propositional symbols. Logical equivalences are statements asserting that two propositional expressions have the same truth value under all interpretations.
Applications of Propositional Logic
Propositional logic has applications in various domains, including computer science (e.g., circuit design, automated reasoning), mathematics (e.g., formal proofs, boolean algebra), and philosophy (e.g., logical analysis of arguments).